OVPR Rendezvous is 25 Years Old !

One October 25 years ago a group of muzzleloading shooters decided to make a 1 day shoot into a longer affair with period overnight camping. Thus began the Olde Virginia Primitive Riflemen Rendezvous. Somewhere along the line they decided a spring 'Vous would be a nice compliment to their fall 'Vous. On a warm March evening around 11 years ago I finally found the OVPR encampment (not as easy to spot as a CW reenactment) & I've been going ever since. Made 15 of the 'Vous since then, which isn't bad at all given uncooperative employers & having the Urchin away at school for 6 of those years. Its my favorite time travel event. So here's some pictures of just whats what in a rendezvous camp.

This is Lew, one of the founders of The Olde Virginia Primitive Riflemen
He is also the inventor of the Lew Light, a folding candle lantern for those oh so necessary trips to the necessary at oh so very dark night hours.

A very nicely turned out British midshipman (younger son of a gentleman of some standing but without the purse to buy a better posting) with his back country lady from the Carolinas.

Mistress McGill, wife of the local Squire, enjoys the latest novel brought over from England.

No rendezvous would be truly complete without an roguish musician or two.

Of course back country folks set up their lodges to trade various goods. Their table and tentege seem rather grand for hard scrabble farmers, waterman and longhunters. Some say these folks are smugglers, so perhaps the constable should keep a weather eye on them Assuming of course that the constable himself is not party to their trade.

Of course not everyone at the "Vous has been coming for 25 years. I tried to buy the Letters of Indenture on these fine fellows but did not have an adequate letter of credit to do so.

Blanket trading is an important activity at 'Vous. Folks sell gear they have made, used period things they no longer need and the craft materials needed to make our apparel and accouterments.

Now rendezvous lodges come in many sizes and types. These fur trappers are displaying their skins for sale in front of a miners tent, otherwise known as a range teepee in modern western cattle country. They have a western fur trade era encampment.

These frontier women prefer a wedge tent, also known as an A tent, with a dining fly in front to provide shade and some protection from any rain.

This is a military wedge tent, the painted stripes are in the uniform facing color of the regimental uniform coat. The painting was done alone the seam lines and improved the weather proofness of the tent. The tent poles are also painted the same color. The European armies of the 18th century housed those civilians who were "belonging to the army" in the same tents as the regiment itself used. Teamsters, artificers, soldiers wives to cook and tend the sick - all these "belonged to the army" but were not soldiers in the army.

When next I visit D&D, I'll see about Don taking some photos of me in my "Vous attire.